[gimmeheadroom]

Key words are, Defective tube. . .

Yeah I pointed out that it's not clear what's to blame. Yet, there is a troubling pattern. We don't see even a small number of similar posts about tube issues burning headphones with other amps.

 

[Wes S]

Yeah I pointed out that it's not clear what's to blame. Yet, there is a troubling pattern. We don't see even a small number of similar posts about tube issues burning headphones with other amps.

Tube issues take out headphones all the time. I think we dont hear about it that often, because the people know it was the tube and not the amp. I dont see a troubling pattern, and plan to pick up a Lyr 3 again in the future.

 

[Tom-s]

Tube issues take out headphones all the time.

Are you sure about this? I don't think many tube issues take out headphones because of the way tube amps are build. If a tube takes out a headphone it's the amp that has an issue. It's DC that kills, that's why a clipping SS amp can kill downstream equipement (square waves create DC on the secondary) and clipping tube amps generally don't. It all depends on the output stage of an amp.

Normally the headphones / speakers are separated by the output transformers (OPT's) in 90% of tube amp topologies.
A short in the tube or failure in the amp that has DC presented at the primary has little influence on the speaker. It won't make sound. But unless there's a short between primary and secondary as a result of a burned out primary that gets a physical connection with the secondary, all is good.

There's a type of tube amp that doesn't use OPT's, the Output Transformer Less (OTL) amplifier. This one does present a danger if not build well. It uses a capacitor to filter out DC to the headphone jack. When the power tube shorts and the output cap fails at the HV presented and shorts, your headphones are done. The output cap path could also fail of either headphone jack or capacitor isn't connected to ground reference.

BUT. I have no clue on what the constant transconductance hybrid output stage of the Lyr 3 looks like. It certainly isn't a "normal" tube amplifier output stage; it's a "hybrid" of whatever kind. Could very well be it's lacks any protection from a short in the tube and destroys headphones as a consequence. I'd still call this an amplifier issue more so then a tube issue.

 

[Wes S]

I am throwing a "Hail Mary", and hoping someone might have a Hamburg ECC82 Long Plate, that they are looking to sell. I love this tube, and one of mine started getting noisy. Please let me know, as I will pay top dollar. Thanks for ya'lls time!

 

[TK16]

I am throwing a "Hail Mary", and hoping someone might have a Hamburg ECC82 Long Plate, that they are looking to sell. I love this tube, and one of mine started getting noisy. Please let me know, as I will pay top dollar. Thanks for ya'lls time!

You stink, did have a pair of the 57 45 degree O getter but sold the pair months ago. You need to predict your tube buying needs 1 year in advance.

 

[Wes S]

You stink, did have a pair of the 57 45 degree O getter but sold the pair months ago. You need to predict your tube buying needs 1 year in advance.

Oh man! I would have loved to pick those up. I have a pair of 57' d foil getters, and a pair of 58' 45 degree big o getters, and a single 56' d getter, but 1 tube from each pair is noisy. I absolutely love this tube, and have to find a few more. . .

 

[Wes S]

@TK16 - I am surprised you sold those Hamburgs. I would think they would be toward the top of your ranking list. They seem to have all the best attributes of the Blackburn Mullard LP and 7316 LP combined. Did yours have the big o getter or small?

 

[TK16]

I am throwing a "Hail Mary", and hoping someone might have a Hamburg ECC82 Long Plate, that they are looking to sell. I love this tube, and one of mine started getting noisy. Please let me know, as I will pay top dollar. Thanks for ya'lls time!

Oh man! I would have loved to pick those up. I have a pair of 57' d foil getters, and a pair of 58' 45 degree big o getters, and a single 56' d getter, but 1 tube from each pair is noisy. I absolutely love this tube, and have to find a few more. . .

Person in this thread bought them, maybe he might PM you if he is open to selling them if he reads this post.

 

[TK16]

@TK16 - I am surprised you sold those Hamburgs. I would think they would be toward the top of your ranking list. They seem to have all the best attributes of the Blackburn Mullard LP and 7316 LP combined. Did yours have the big o getter or small?

Large O getter 57 acid etching, NOS+ testing, no noise/microphonics, no gas, no leaks. Nothing wrong with the SS. They were really nice sounding, just preferred other tubes over it. Had gotten another pair 58? Returned them to the Ebay seller for crap testing and noisy pair.

 

[Wes S]

Large O getter 57 acid etching, NOS+ testing, no noise/microphonics, no gas, no leaks. Nothing wrong with the SS. They were really nice sounding, just preferred other tubes over it. Had gotten another pair 58? Returned them to the Ebay seller for crap testing and noisy pair.

Got ya. That is the one I am jamming to now, and is my current number 1 tube.

 

[TK16]

Got ya. That is the one I am jamming to now, and is my current number 1 tube.

If your amp can take 6201, I know the LP won't work correctly due to the much higher gain on the tubes and no low gain option on the amp. Your other amp may? 6201 Mullard Mitcham o getter is quite the tube, you can buy singles at upscalaudio.com. Platinum grade got me 6,600 ish on Gm. My tester got them around 5,500 Gm.

 

[Wes S]

If your amp can take 6201, I know the LP won't work correctly due to the much higher gain on the tubes and no low gain option on the amp. Your other amp may? 6201 Mullard Mitcham o getter is quite the tube, you can buy singles at upscalaudio.com. Platinum grade got me 6,600 ish on Gm. My tester got them around 5,500 Gm.

Nice! I have an amp that I am saving up for, that can use that tube, and will have to pick up a pair. Thanks for the tip!

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Tube issues take out headphones all the time. I think we dont hear about it that often, because the people know it was the tube and not the amp. I dont see a troubling pattern, and plan to pick up a Lyr 3 again in the future.

Again, there is a pattern that a bunch of people are saying it about the Lyr 3. We don't see the same number of people saying it about a random sampling of tube amps. It's no proof, but it does constitute a troubling pattern.

 

[Wes S]

If your amp can take 6201, I know the LP won't work correctly due to the much higher gain on the tubes and no low gain option on the amp. Your other amp may? 6201 Mullard Mitcham o getter is quite the tube, you can buy singles at upscalaudio.com. Platinum grade got me 6,600 ish on Gm. My tester got them around 5,500 Gm.

I love it when a reputable dealer has good tubes. I just looked up the price, and they are very affordable as well.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

It's DC that kills

Yeah I was wondering if it would be possible to create a little box that could shunt DC to ground- maybe using zener diodes etc. I don't know what effect it would have on sound quality.

It seems to me amp manufacturers should have serious protection circuits designed in. Maybe they do.

I read an interesting post can't find it now, about how the cost of a component is multiplied many times in the retail price. I think most people would be willing to pay some reasonable extra amount not to lose a pair of headphones and I would think anybody that designs a foolproof scheme (there, I said it) and could get the word out would have a lot of people buying his products, all other things being equal.